


No Hands

by Ramasi



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Possibly Unrequited Love, Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-01
Updated: 2014-03-01
Packaged: 2018-01-14 04:41:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1253257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ramasi/pseuds/Ramasi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hook follows Regina when she decides to ditch the group, and comes up with an idea for defeating Pan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Hands

**Author's Note:**

  * For [subjunctive](https://archiveofourown.org/users/subjunctive/gifts).



He leans against a tree, nearby, arms crossed, head bent, eyes almost shadowed, head tilted sidewards just a little, exposing his throat. He knows exactly how it looks; not that Regina is paying attention, not consciously, and it's dark anyway: it seems always to be twilight, in Neverland, even under the sun there's like a yellow mist. He thought she was angry last time they worked together, but that was nothing compared to this: she's lost patience. If Henry was not on it, she might burn this island to the ground. She oozes power.

He's used to this. He's joined with another mother on a mission to find her stolen child, and she could have ripped him apart with a snap of her fingers, and she is dead and he is here. 'Here' means trapped in Neverland; but his track record speaks for him. Even with Pan.

Regina stops her pacing and turns back towards him. She has been playing along very patiently until now; now that she seems done, he thought it wiser someone accompany her.

"That is all you have to offer? Play along with his games?"

He shrugs, pushes himself off the trunk, movement feline, calculated. Regina huffs in irritation: she's contemptuous, and she's not interested, but she's noticing. What would it take? He's pretty sure he could push her quite far; he knows her from surviving her, like you to learn gouge hostile terrain, dangerous waters. He's less sure about how he might draw her out to reciprocate: she might not think much of her own villainy; but she'll condemn his. Emma is at he other side of the island, he tells himself, so none of that matters; but he knows he's lying to himself.

"Not _his_ games," he explains. "Your own. Try it: he will take the bait. He can't resist a game."

A challenge, an obvious taunt.

"Really?" She must have brought lipstick with her from back home, just as he brought kohl, and the way her hair is so perfectly combed, that one might be magic. "So why don't _you_ do it?"

"Me?" He holds up his hands, gives her his most winning smile. "I don't know the trick. Nothing else will kill him."

That might be utterly false, or it might be true, he has no idea. All he knows is that Pan is virtually immortal, but here's a good chance that even he cannot survive with his heart crushed to dust. In any case it's worth a try.

A smile passes over Regina's lips, and she's closing her fists: she must be imagining it, the sensation of Pan's heart giving under her grip. He can feel his own heart-beat go faster. He shouldn't want to go anywhere near. But one of the very first things he gave Milah was a sword; he had not been certain, at the time, that it might not be turned against him.

"He knows that," Regina argues. "If he asks for _you_ to take the challenge, you will do it."

He takes a step back against the trunk. He doesn't like where this is going. He has to remind himself that he never came here to get out again; he's making amends, for Emma.

It doesn't help.

"That's not –" He falls silent under Regina's gaze. Pan could be listening at any time; they can't discuss betrayal out loud. Those are the terms he's suggesting she offer Pan: you and me, no magic, no outside help, no flight.

He can only hope he knows Regina as well as he thinks he does.

"Well?" Regina snaps.

He tries to seem collected. He's not under duress, he chose to follow her, he can walk away.

"Fine." He grins at her. "For you, my lady."


End file.
